Work Text:
“Are… are you serious, doc?”
Eddy looked straight into the doctor’s eyes, begging for some sprinkles of hope. His face was pale, his whole body was trembling, and he couldn’t think of anything right now. His friend, Brett Yang, had fallen seriously ill and would pass away at any moment. And now him also? No, it can’t be, right? It can’t be. It can’t-
“Yes.”
Silence. Lasted for minutes yet felt like hours on end.
“Is there anything I can do, doc? I can’t stand seeing myself as helpless as my friend now. I have to live… for him.”
“Well, yes. It can be treated because you found out so early.”
“That’s great! Shall we start our treatment immediately?”
“We can. But before that, I need to tell you. Every surgery has its own risk. And yours… also. If anything goes wrong, you won’t be able to use your arms for the rest of your life.”
“Does that mean... if anything wrong happens, I won’t be able to play the violin anymore...?” Eddy turned to his hands, looking horrified.
Silence again.
“...Indeed.”
Eddy felt like his world had collapsed. The world that he and Brett had built, it was about to lose half of it. He thought he was ready. He thought he could build another world of his own, with his friend forever be his direction. But this... he was not ready. At all. What’s the point of living, when he can’t even fulfill his friend’s last wish? What’s the point, when music can’t even be by his side?
He turned to Brett. Brett was just in the opposite room, waiting for his demise. Eddy started quivering uncontrollably. All the years spent with him, from the very first encounter in that faithful Friday, in that extra Maths class, disappear in the blink of an eye. Since the dawn of TwoSetViolin, many inside jokes were born: iNteResTinG, Sacrilegious, Ling Ling, and of course, Practice 40 hours a day. Where are they now? Many times both joked about OneSetViolin, but the reality was coming fast. Who’s gonna hear him playing now? Who’s gonna laugh at his joke now? Who’s gonna share every cup of bubble tea, full of sweetness and bitterness, just like his own life...?
“I need 15 minutes, doc. I want to see my friend in the other room.”
“As you wish.”
Eddy slowly walked away, towards where Brett was. He stopped right next to his friend’s bed. He took a closer look: it was the same adorable Brett Yang he knew. Except he was not moving; his eyes were closed, his body still, only giving out weak breaths that were barely noticeable.
Telepathy or not, no one knew, but as Eddy was looking, Brett groggily opened his eyes. What he saw must have terrified most people: an abnormally thin man, looking scared and almost out of energy. He looked like he had seen some great *sheeeeeet music*.
“Bretttttttt!!! You’re awake!” Eddy screamed, then hid away as he realized he was in the hospital. Thankfully it was a soundproof room, and he was careful enough to close the door.
Brett uttered, in a weak voice:
“Is that... you, Eddy? What’s that... you’re telling me?”
“Brett, I just wanna say something... I love you.”
“I know... I always know. We have been companions for decades, right? Ahh... it’s been long.”
Silence from Eddy.
“I don’t know if you mean anything else, but in my heart, you’re the best occurrence I’ll ever have. I know you’ll think the same.”
“Brett, I have something else to say…”
“I’m always here to hear you.”
“I will have my surgery soon. I will recover.”
“That’s great.”
“But I don’t want to. I want to die with you.”
Brett turned a little annoyed. He tried to harshen his voice but failed.
“Don’t be silly, Eddy. You’ve got a future ahead of you, you can’t die yet. Build a better world for me. Build a world where classical music thrives.”
“But what’s the point… if I can’t play… the violin afterward…?” Eddy choked on his words.
Brett suddenly winced. Eddy quickly realized.
“I’m sorry, I understand. Don’t try too hard, Brett. Lie down.”
“I guess my time has come… I would like to hear your violin playing for the last time.”
“What do you want me to play? Mendelssohn? Bach? Oh, Tchaikovsky violin concerto! I can play the second movement for you. It’s your favorite, right?”
“No Eddy. You shouldn’t think of me anymore. You should think of yourself. Think what you would play if you could touch your violin for the last time. Play with every ounce of passion and emotion. That’s what I want you to do.”
Eddy stood still for a moment, then took his violin out. He looked at Brett, then his violin, and his bow. He knew exactly what to do, but it still hurt. He couldn’t back out; he had to move on. Move with every dedication.
His bow touched the strings and started making music. Almost immediately Brett’s face relaxed, for he knew Eddy was playing the right thing: Sibelius violin concerto, second movement. It was the piece Eddy would play if he could never touch the violin again, he even confirmed. Those familiar notes both would hear every day, but this time they were very different. There was something in Eddy that Brett hadn’t seen before. Was it passion? Of course, but there’s more. It was his own life flashing. The joy they both shared, the struggle they both suffered, and the love for music they both owned. Ever since they first met, they were meant to be together. Not anymore after this, but at least the TwoSetViolin they knew was still there, even if it meant this last moment. Eddy played with every last bit of his strength as if he could die with Brett too.
The moment Eddy played his last note, he rushed to his friend, one hand holding the violin and the bow, the other holding Brett’s arm firm. One last breath and Brett’s gone.
“Well… done… and take care… Eddy.”
Brett took his last breath, finally leaving Eddy with the lonely and scary world he had always feared. Brett used to call him “the rock”, something he could rely on when things got tough. But what will the rock rely on when things get tough? The ground. And before he knew it, “the rock” had collapsed on the room’s ground, lying unconscious.
"Where am I?”
Eddy woke up. No, not quite right. He wasn’t in that dull hospital room. This was somewhere else. Colorful and bright.
“Am I... dreaming? But I can move!”
He looked around. Looked like some sort of museum, with sheet music lying around. He saw a familiar figure ahead of him.
“Brett... Bretttttt!”
No reply. The figure only kept moving on. He had no choice but to follow. He did whatever the figure ahead of him was doing. The figure picked up an urtext, and so did he. The figure turned his face towards a painting, and he did the exact same thing. Eddy – and the figure – both went through the corridor, with nothing but the purist of music by their side.
The figure finally led him to another familiar object, next to yet another familiar face.
“Did I… did I just meet the god of music, Ling Ling? My honor to see you, Chloe sensei!”
Chloe didn’t reply either. She carefully held the violin with both hands and gave it to Eddy. She looked at Eddy, then Brett, and in split seconds, both Brett and her flew away, leaving Eddy alone like he was in the present world.
Half an hour had passed since Eddy asked the doctor to see Brett for the last time. The doctor grew worried, so he decided to check on Brett’s room. Upon entering, he saw the patient, already passed away peacefully, and another on the ground, the violin still in his hand. He then called his assistants and checked the person on the ground. It was Eddy; he probably collapsed from emotional shock and should be awake soon. The doctor asked his assistants to carefully bring Eddy onto the bed, right next to Brett, and placed his violin on his chest.
Eddy finally came around; the first thing he looked out for was the violin. He tried to move his body, but the doctor understood his intention and stopped him.
“The violin is on your chest. Rest assured.”
Eddy relaxed. He held one hand to the violin, looking at it endearingly. He also realized that he wasn’t on the ground anymore.
“Where am I now?”
“You’re on the bed. Look to your left.”
Eddy followed his order. Brett was right beside him. The face he sees every day, but now lifeless and immobile. His body was cold, his lips turned purple, and his eyes were shut, contentedly.
“The choice is yours, Eddy. You can go with him, or you can make a better world for him.”
Eddy fell into silence. He knew what he would choose. There was no turning back.
“…I accept.”
“Then we shall proceed.”
Eddy and Brett were then placed onto two different wheeled stretchers and both were transported out of the room, one to the left and one to the right. The room where they used to be together fell into darkness.